RETHINKING TOURISM IN LADAKH: MODELS FOR SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH

Abstract

Tourism plays a big part of our lives in Ladakh with multiple links with society, culture, 
environment and economy. The recent controversy between the All Ladakh Tour Operators 
Association (ALTOA) and the Bangalore-based travel company India Hikes highlighted the need 
for regulation of the tourism sector. Unless regulated, the current model of tourism will tear 
Ladakh’s social fabric and culture, while causing irreversible damage to its environment. This is 
not to suggest that tourism in Ladakh is completely un-regulated and un-managed but the current 
model does have many weaknesses, especially in terms of sustainability.  
Ladakh has been attracting visitors and scholars for several centuries. The region has never really 
been isolated as it served as an important hub for trade between South Asia, Central Asia and Tibet 
and later as a theatre for the geopolitical schemes of the British, Russian and Chinese empires. 
This changed with the redrawing of boundaries and the end of the trade in the 1940s Ladakh 
became a part of independent India in 1947 and was closed for visitors soon after. The current 
model of tourism dates back to 1974, when the region was once again opened for visitors. One 
reason for opening the region was to generate revenue, especially foreign exchange, by a model of 
tourism based on experiencing the region’s unique culture, history and ecology. In the following 
years, Ladakh has seen a large inflow of tourists with official figures for 2013 showing a 300-fold 
increase from 1974.  

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